Yeti Demo Day at World Wide Cyclery

Discussion in 'Bike Reviews' started by Mikie, Feb 11, 2017.


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  1. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    @Voodoo Tom IM's me last night saying, "Aint the Yeti Demo tomorrow?"
    I say, "I don't know."
    He says, "Yeah, it's tomorrow. Are we going?"
    I said, "Sure! Let's go!"

    In my 25 years of mountain biking I have never been to a Mountain Bike Demo.
    Since it was my first, I thought it was first class. The guys at World Wide Cyclery were really AWESOME... Fired up, positive, inspirational, and totally into their demo. The Yeti rig was awesome and I am only going to guess there were about 40 bikes ready to ride. It was located at the trailhead for Space Mountain.

    We got there on time and it had fogged, rained, poured, and what not on the way. We were not even sure they would have it. When we pulled into the parking lot there were at least 20 guys already in line.

    I rode a Large SB5. Tom snagged a Medium SB4.5. We putted and tweaked around the lower trail head for a while adjusting seat post height, brake levers and shock and fork air pressure.

    I can tell you the specs for air pressure are WAY too high! I never got the fork and shock right on the SB5.
    I'm not much of a bike demo report guy.

    "I don't know what bikes are, but I know what I like!"

    I can tell you this, the SB5 climbed amazing! I could have used one more low end gear on this 1x11 for all day riding but what it did have i was able to climb all that we tried. But nothing extreme like we have climbed.
    I didn't realize how big the Large was until i tried to corner some downhill semi tight switchbacks and that is when I felt the size. As well, I did not like at all how stiff it rode from over pressurizing the fork and shock.
    Plus, I'm an oldskool moto head so I struggled with the brakes being switched from how I ride. Left is rear on my bike. I forgot that a couple of times in a pinch in tight switchbacks heading back down.

    The wide bars and short stem surprisingly did not phase me, I was amazed how I was totally comfortable on the bike once I raised the seat post high enough.

    It may be the switched brakes and rock hard fork and shock that unimpressed me with it's descent.

    Next bike I rode was the bike Tom rode. The SB4.5 Medium. Tom picked up a SB5+. He hated it.

    At 5' 11"... I was at the top of the scale for Medium to Large. Instantly the cockpit felt too small so I did the only thing I could do, which was kick the seat back as far as it would go. Bad mistake when it came to climbing. It was miserable compared to the large Frame of the SB5.

    I suffered back to the top of Space Mountain to the bench. I borrowed Toms Shock pump and let a significant amount of air pressure out of both fork and shock. That descent was magic! Maybe i was more comfortable with the reversed brakes by then but I never thought a 29'er would carve like this one did. Having the suspension way more tuned then the SB5 was huge. Never thought I was on 29 wheels.

    When we got back to the Demo trailer, we turned in the bikes and they asked if we were done riding and we acknowledged we were. Then they pointed to a very large cooler full of Ice, Water, and BEER. First class.

    I had an awesome time! We got in over 16 miles and around 2200 feet of climbing, not a big day, but still.
    If I had enough steam left in my engine I would have tried the SB5.5 in a Large. I think that would be my bike based on the climbing ability of that SB5 Large frame. I had such a blast! Thanks Tom!

    Oh... and the weather and trail conditions were PERFECT! Capital "H" HERO dirt with sunshine in the upper 60's. Go figure...


    Awesome Yeti rig with Colorado plates.
    DSCF1175.jpg


    They got a few bikes.
    DSCF1176.jpg


    My first choice Yeti SB5.
    DSCF1177.jpg


    Stoked to get riding!
    DSCF1178.jpg


    Tom effortlessly climbing the SB4.5
    DSCF1180.jpg


    This trail is in Ireland.... right?
    DSCF1182.jpg


    Selfie Plus the Voodoo...
    DSCF1183.jpg


    Class ACT! Ice cold beer for the reminiscing....
    DSCF1186.jpg


    Cheers Brothah!
    DSCF1187.jpg
     
  2. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    In my backyard. :cry::cry:

    Hard to get a demo bike to feel right on the first ride. With my Jet it was 95% from the start. A couple more rides and it was dialed.

    Is there a new Yeti in your future?
     
    PATKOUG, mtnbikej, Voodoo Tom and 3 others like this.
  3. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Hey Bud!
    There could be.
    Riding with VT who has participated in lots of Demo's, his first impression of the SB4.5 was eye opening to me. He loves his Ripley... and if I fully understood his stoke on the SB4.5 he said it climbed better than his Ripley and with some rear tuning and a Pike on the front it would descend ever bit as well. That says a lot to me. I may just start looking for an SB5.5 used. For what ever reason, there are plenty out there. I will use my @Voodoo Tom Bike Brokerage, as some how that guy finds the best deals on the planet!
     
    Makoto, PATKOUG, hill^billy and 7 others like this.
  4. Cornholio

    Cornholio iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    B
    Current Bike:
    Huffy
    My wife is so glad I didn't go demo a Yeti!
     
  5. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    There is something to be said for the rear suspention of a Yeti, ride it aggressive and it comes alive, old school switch tech on the SB-66. One day when I wear this one out, I'll get the new tech, better is gooder.
     
    PATKOUG, Voodoo Tom and Mikie like this.
  6. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    The SB 5.5 WILL BE @Mikie 's next bike. Please just get it this year Mikie, so we can stop worrying about you.

    I have always been really fortunate when it comes to demos. Rather than the big trail-head cluster fu**s that can happen, I always seem to get lucky and find the bikes at a shop and can take them out for a day or two - without a fee. I have been able to demo Intense, Knolly, Ibis, Yeti and Santa Cruz in this manner. Lucky me, I guess. Right place, right time. Right questions asked of the right people.

    Suspension setup is KEY to a demo. Almost all manufacturers recommend pressure that is 20-50% too stiff. I don't know why. You would think they would want the consumer to feel all of the suspension rather than half or less. Bring your pedals and a shock pump to any demo, and expect to release some pressure before you pedal.

    @Mikie please find and purchase your next Yeti already.
     
    PATKOUG, littlewave, Luis and 3 others like this.
  7. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Yep like always this was one of our typical last minute ride calls except worse. @Mikie is due at my place at 7am and I know he’s got roughly a 45 minute drive to get here. So at 6am I text him saying it’s been raining here all night and still misting pretty hard even though the skies are clear and the radar looks good. He replies “should we pull the plug now" cuz I’m about to jump on the freeway headed for your place to which I reply well I hate to see you waste a trip so if it still sucks when you get here we will just go get a kick ass breakfast and call it a day. Lucky for us the weather gods were listening.

    First off kudos to Yeti & the crew from Worldwide Cyclery. They hosted a first class affair for sure. When we showed up early and the line was roughly 20 guys deep I thought “oh crap good thing we brought our own bikes”. Not to worry though they had about 8 guys prepping bikes and handling the legal mumbo jumbo so we had just enough time to stand around talk bikes but not get bored.

    I’ve done several demos over the last few years and learned a few things that all demo bikes seem to have in common. They always have way too much air in the tires and the fork & shock therefore I carry my full camelback with tools & pumps. This one was no different as they set air pressures to get desired suspension sag. I gave up on setting sag a while ago and prefer to use the Voodoo Tom method of bike setup. That is if you have 140mm of travel keep fiddling with air pressure till you use about 139.5mm of travel when you are riding for all you’re worth. Apparently several others felt the same way and were borrowing my shock pump at the top of the trail.

    First bike for me was the 4.5 29er as thats the kind of bike I’m used to and it’s travel numbers have proven to be enough 99% of the time. Hopped on the recommended medium size and instantly it felt too small but I rode it anyways. Took about a minute of riding to feel like I’d been riding this bike for years. Pedaled real good just like I’m used to. Rode high in the travel while pedaling and had very little bob. When the trail pointed down this 4.5 was a frikken hoot. It begged to be ridden hard and put away wet. I’ve always heard Yeti’s described as sports car like handling and now I know what that means. Granted the dirt was good but this thing cornered like it was on rails and I found myself purposely aiming for rougher lines. For my money I’ll still take a pike fork though as I think it offers better pedaling support while still giving you buttery smooth descents.

    Next was the sb5+ and for me it was just kinda meh. Most likely setup was just "off for my taste but I just never clicked with this bike. It pedaled well but even though it bobbed more than I’m used to. I had to crawl way up on the nose of the seat to keep the front end planted on the steep climbs. Once again the + sized rubber didn’t seem to drag me down on the climbs but it also didn’t seem to offer any additional comfort or grip so I just didn’t get the point.

    Again though it was a great day to be on a bike with my buddy Mikie(who I agree will ultimately end up on a SB5.5). The Yeti demo rig is way nicer than any I’ve seen and the crew from worldwide cyclery are obviously all bike fanatics and fun guys to hang out with.
     
    Makoto, tortoise, Faust29 and 12 others like this.
  8. scottay

    scottay Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Gods Country
    Name:
    Scottay
    The mid-week riding crew was able to hit the Yeti rig on thurs at JPL. :p No lines!
    .
    So these are the guys who were at the Yeti tent, I think?

    One is neko mulally's brother Logan




    Fast dudes....

    Props to Worldwide Cyclery, seemed like a good bunch, answered all my questions and where very down to earth guys.
    .
    .
     
    DangerDirtyD, Faust29, MattB and 6 others like this.
  9. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    That was Dead Cow going up? Looks like it got ravaged frome rain... I totally agree with @scottay. These were were very cool dudes who really knew their stuff, totally excited to be there. You could sense their stoke.
     
    Faust29, Voodoo Tom and herzalot like this.
  10. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    I have to do that trail. When @Mikie came down and rode Car Wreck, he mentioned he thought CW was tougher than Suicide. After watching that video, I find that hard to believe. Suicide looked very tough - and we know video makes everything look easier.

    Thanks for posting.
     
    UPSed, Mikie, Faust29 and 2 others like this.
  11. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    I think I said it was the other way around. At least the last time I did suicide, I thought it was for real...
     
    herzalot and UPSed like this.
  12. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    Suicide did NOT look like that when I rode it 5 years ago, seems a bit more challenging!
     
    Mikie, herzalot and UPSed like this.
  13. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Ahhhem (clears throat)

    Quoting @Mikie "After climbing Mathis we then dropped down Car Wreck. I have done trails like this, and I like them a lot. It's a lot like Suicide only steeper, rougher, super chunky, and with a couple bigger drops. I was really feeling comfortable until I got to a mid drop..."

    http://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/rr-aliso-assault-and-battery.2391/

    Regardless, I would say based on that video that Suicide looks like about 5 Car Wrecks stacked on top of each other, but tougher. Those boys in the video didn't seem to have much trouble with it however. Must be the 29" wheels with 6" of travel and slack geo. Or talent. Could be talent.
     
    Mikie likes this.
  14. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Sitting corrected...
    I agree with @hillbilly. I rode it before Car Wreck and it was nothing of a big deal. last time I rode it... it was significantly rougher. That video places it at the most technical I have seen it.
    Goes to show people can sanitize all they want but Muthah Nature is going to kick it's azz back into tech shape. That was a hard one to learn for me...
     
    herzalot and hill^billy like this.
  15. littlewave

    littlewave Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Newport Beach
    Name:
    Brett
    Current Bike:
    GG Smash (Alu)
    Same guy, video of some OC trails:

     
    Mikie and herzalot like this.
  16. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    @Mikie. A customer of mine just picked one up. Says it's the best bike evah! In case you are still on the fence.20170502_103343-2016x1512.jpg
     
  17. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Hey wait a minute that's the bike I want...The 4.5
     
    Mikie, mtnbikej, UPSed and 1 other person like this.
  18. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Thanks brothah...
    New bike is out for a while...
     
    UPSed and mtnbikej like this.
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?